Forget and Forgive
by Litfreak89
Summary: Ron and Hermione have what seems like their worst fight yet. Can they lose each other?


_AN: Written for Round 5 of the QLFC_

 _Team: Pride of Portree_

 _Position: Beater 2_

 _Beater 2's Prompt: Inspired by crochetaway's story titled "Always Enough"_

 _Optional Prompts used:_

 _3\. (dialogue) "Do you mind if we stop for a minute?"_

 _5\. (song) Brightest-Copeland_

 _15\. (object) candle_

 _Word count (excluding AN): 1177_

 _Also, my Hermione is a bit OOC. I felt I had to make her a bit more passive than normal in order to create a viable Ronmione relationship. My bad if she's too far out of left field._

* * *

Forget and Forgive

This was it. This was the last time she'd forgive him, and it was completely his fault. Ron shook his head and glanced at the candle lying forgotten beside the demolished birthday cake on the table. Such a small thing, the candle, but the depth of meaning behind the charred bit of wax configured the object into something much greater.

Ron Weasley, best friend and boyfriend of Hermione Granger, had forgotten his girlfriend's birthday. Normally, Hermione would have forgiven this quickly, but the two had been in rows for weeks about various things, mostly Ron's fault, apparently. Harry had finally thrown his hands up and left them to it, and this left Ron at a disadvantage. He was accustomed to having his other best friend there to mediate. Hermione listened to Harry, and this was beneficial to Ron when the brunette was being irrational.

 _Hmm…better not call her that again._ Ron picked up the candle and twirled it in his fingers like he would his wand. He wasn't an idiot; this time, the fault was all his, and the look on Hermione's face when had walked into the Burrow to see his whole family celebrating his girlfriend without him was seared into his mind. It hadn't helped that he had just spent the last two hours in a bar with Seamus.

Ron heard a noise behind him and knew without looking that it was Harry. Hermione had left after the disastrous meal, apparating home to her flat and blocking him from her wards. Ginny and Molly had told him to give her a few days, but Harry had just shaken his head and uttered, "Too far, mate."

"She's gone, isn't she, Harry?"

Harry joined his best friend and grabbed a chilled butterbeer from the pail on the table. Handing it to Ron and taking another for himself, Harry opened it and took a long drink from the bottle. Finally, he looked at Ron and said, "Would that be so bad?"

Ron was confused. "What do you mean, Harry?"

"You're hurting her, Ron! Our best friend comes to Ginny in tears at least once a week from something you've done or said, and I'm getting sick of it!" Harry was finally angry, angrier than Ron had ever seen him. "Why lead her on when she's obviously not enough to keep you happy?"

"But she is, Harry!" Ron protested. "She's more than enough to keep me happy! I've never been happier!"

Harry laughed humorlessly. "You're happy? Merlin, I'd hate to see you _unhappy_." Another sip. "Why do you two insist on making each other miserable?"

Ron disagreed quickly. "We're not miserable!" Realizing everyone else in the house was probably asleep, he then whispered, "I love her, Harry. I know I'm a git most of the time, but Hermione Granger is the most important person in my life. I blew it this time; I'm rubbish at remembering dates. Harry," Ron was almost in tears, "I need to fix things with her!"

Harry sat quietly for a few minutes, finishing his butterbeer. Then he sighed. "Ron, you have to decide just how much Hermione means to you. Can she—" Harry stopped when he heard the floo. He looked through the kitchen doorway before patting Ron on the back. "Is she enough, Ron?" he whispered before heading back up to bed.

Ron felt her presence before he heard her quiet voice. "Ron?"

He turned around to see Hermione standing beside the fireplace. Her red, tear-stained eyes tugged at his heart, and he hated himself for hurting her like he had. Dropping the candle finally, he nodded towards the front door. "Walk?"

Hermione agreed, and the two made their way outside. After they had walked for a few minutes, Hermione reached out and grabbed Ron's hand, squeezing it slightly. Surprised, Ron squeezed back. Was this the girl that he had treated like garbage over the last few weeks? The one who warned him that if he screwed up one more time, she was gone?

Finally, the two reached their favorite spot beside an old tree outside the Burrow's wards. They could see a small pond in the distance, and it was the perfect place to get away from prying ears. Ron glanced at Hermione. "Could we stop for a minute?" he asked, making his way toward the tree and sitting down.

He looked over at Hermione, who had just taken a seat next to him, willing her to talk, to yell at him for being an insensitive idiot who didn't deserve her. However, she surprised him yet again.

"Remember our first date?"

"Of course." Ron couldn't help but smile. "I took you to Hogsmeade while we were working to rebuild Hogwarts. Told you I never had the chance to ask you out properly while we were students, so I wanted to make up for it."

Hermione rested her head against the tree. "I'm sorry, Ron," she apologized suddenly. "I overreacted about you forgetting my birthday. I forgot about all the other things you do for me and decided to focus on the few ways you mess up. You have other people in your life, and I shouldn't have to be the center of your attention at all times."

Ron couldn't stand to hear her apologize to him. "Hermione—"

"No, Ron. I was in the wrong. I had a wonderful dinner with your family, and I ruined it. I threw a tantrum, and I shouldn't have done that."

"Hermione, stop." Ron reached out and touched her arm. "Don't apologize to me. I've been a git for the last month, and I haven't treated you as well as I should have. You work hard, taking shite from others every day, and you shouldn't have that from me as well. I don't think about your feelings like I should. I don't make you feel special like I should." Ron moved his hand down to hers and gripped it. "Hermione, I should have been here tonight for your birthday. I'm sorry I forgot."

"Ron, I know." Hermione smiled at him. "And I know it probably won't be the last time you forget. Remember, we've been friends a long time." Ron turned red and smiled a bit. "However, I also know I'm still a bossy know-it-all who can't let things go, who pushes you until you get mad. We are going to fight; I know this. However, can you look past these disagreements, or have you decided that I'm not even worth the headache?" Hermione looked a bit afraid of his answer.

Ron pulled Hermione close to his side. "Hermione Granger, you are more than worth the headache. I was terrified that I had screwed this up and that I'd never see you again." He looked down at her. "You mean everything to me, and the fact that you can look over all my annoying idiosyncrasies—you like that big word, love?—means that you're more than I'll ever need. If you'll have me, that is."

"I wouldn't have you any other way."


End file.
